Benteke. “If Aston Villa say I must stay, I won’t necessarily accept that. I do not in any way want to feel I didn’t get the most out of my career. I try to get everything.”
Begovic. “I want to start preparing on July 10, with all the players of Liverpool.”
Christian Benteke has three years left at Aston Villa and Liverpool have made no announcement thus far confirming any deal with Asmir Begovic.
These kind of comments really do highlight the increase in player power over the last decade, whether it be wages, transfer deals or sponsorship deals. In a way, I can see where Benteke is coming from, he’s practically single handedly saved Aston Villa from relegation in the Barclays Premier League this season and there is nothing wrong in wanting to further your career and move to another club.
However what can Benteke do if Aston Villa say he has to say? What if the club don’t get the transfer fee they want and feel that they need to keep the Belgian for next season?
In my view, a player should honour their contract unless they and the club agree otherwise. But if Villa choose to keep Benteke he is too good of a player to shove into the reserves and he will still be Villa’s top man. And this is what I mean by player power.
Benteke’s comments highlight his desire to leave the club and I’m fairly confident that if the right bid comes in then he will be on his way out of Villa Park this Summer, which is what Benteke wants.
But on the other hand if Benteke has to stay at Aston Villa he will still be the focal point of the club on the pitch because he is that good! Look at the case of Carlos Tevez at Manchester City and Wayne Rooney at Manchester United, they made remarks and took actions whereby many thought they would never play for the club again but their talents were too much to miss. Therefore the worst case scenario for Benteke is that he has to stay at Villa, have another 20+ goal season and attract even bigger clubs next year whilst earning a probably pay rise from his current wages of £20,000 per week to around £50,000. Which isn’t exactly bad for him either.
From Villa’s point of view, they don’t want a player who doesn’t want to play for the club. Yet they still want to keep players of that calibre or alternatively invest in other players from Benteke’s transfer fee.
It just goes to show that Benteke’s comments have put the ball firmly in his grasp and that he will most likely be able to dictate this transfer now.
As for Begovic, his comments are equally shocking and disrespectful. Wait till something has been agreed until you shout about your move to Liverpool. What if it doesn’t happen now? What would that say about his commitment to Stoke?
It’s poor from his management team for starters but on a personal level it shows an utter lack of respect for Stoke who are in a time of rebuilding regardless with the departure of Tony Pulis.
Where do you stand with player loyalty? What do you make of these actions? and would you keep Benteke at your club after these comments?
Jake Oxby – Sports Business Management Student (Carnegie)
@JakeEOxby
@SportsBizJake
Sports Business Management 